Mountain Dewhttp://www.adweek.com/taxonomy/term/2820/all
enAd of the Day: Mountain Dew's Kickstart Turns Dudes Into the Craziest Dancershttp://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-mountain-dews-energy-drinks-turn-dudes-craziest-dancers-162631
Katie Richards<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/mtn-dew-kickstart-hed-2015.jpg"> <p>
Take a sip of a Mountain Dew Kickstart, and the world&#39;s greatest and strangest dance party will unfold.</p>
<p>
At least, that&#39;s what goes down in this very entertaining 90-second spot from BBDO New York debuting two new flavors of Mtn Dew Kickstart: Mtn Dew Pineapple Orange Mango and Mtn Dew Strawberry Kiwi.</p>
<p>
Although Mountain Dew is a sponsor of the Super Bowl through parent company PepsiCo, the brand won&#39;t run a spot on Sunday&#39;s game. Instead, Mountain Dew will debut this spot during the Super Bowl pregame show and follow up&mdash;during and post-game&mdash;on <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/super-bowl-turning-digital-advertisings-biggest-day-162524" target="_blank">Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Vine.</a></p>
<p>
You&#39;ll witness some pretty weird stuff going on here, but we wouldn&#39;t want to spoil the experience for you. Take a look for yourself:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mjwUVZHBcoY" width="650"></iframe></p>
<p>
Now, no one is saying that when you crack open an ice-cold Mtn Dew Kickstart that the people in that yellow traffic sign won&#39;t do some pelvic thrusts, your dog won&#39;t turn around and wiggle his butt, and those video game characters won&#39;t start shimmying. However, it seems unlikely. The idea here is that after a few gulps of one of these bad boys, you will be ready to take on anything&mdash;even a deer dancing in your living room.</p>
<p>
At the end of the spot, you can click around for a few extra, remixed clips featuring the talking deer and the twerking dog, in case you don&#39;t feel fully satisfied.</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E-LOYPMb-Ig" width="650"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yesii15ljco" width="650"></iframe></p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dYg1lYzfX8Q" width="650"></iframe><br />
<br />
<strong>CREDITS</strong><br />
Agency: BBDO New York<br />
Client: Mountain Dew<br />
Title: Come Alive</p>
<p>
Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars<br />
Chief Creative Officer, New York: Greg Hahn<br />
Executive Creative Director: Tim Bayne<br />
Executive Creative Director: Lauren Connolly<br />
ACD/Copywriter: Dan Kelly<br />
ACD/Art Director: Todd Rone Parker<br />
Group Executive Producer: Julian Katz<br />
Producer: Sofia Doktori<br />
Executive Music Producer: Melissa Chester<br />
Sr. Account Director: Ladd Martin<br />
Account Director: Patrice Reiley<br />
Account Manager: Kylie Halperin<br />
Account Executive: Jillian Netzel<br />
Planning Director: Jessica Summerfield</p>
<p>
Production Company: Caviar<br />
Director: Keith Schofield<br />
Executive Producer: Michael Sagol<br />
Executive Producer: Jasper Thomlinson<br />
Executive Producer: Cathleen Kisich<br />
Head of Production: Kelly Bowen<br />
DOP: Damian Acevedo<br />
Producer: Adrianne McCurrach</p>
<p>
Edit House: Rock Paper Scissors<br />
Executive Producer: Eve Kornblum<br />
Producer: Lisa Barnable<br />
Editor: Carlos Arias<br />
Assistant Editor: Alexandra Debricon</p>
<p>
Mix House: Heard City<br />
Mixer: Phil Loeb</p>
<p>
Post EFX: eightvfx<br />
EP/Owner: Baptiste Andrieux<br />
CD/Owner: Jean Marc Demmer<br />
Executive Producer: Shira Boardman,<br />
Executive Producer: Alyssa St. Vincent<br />
VFX Supervisor: Yannick Leblanc<br />
CG Lead: Jean-Baptiste Cambier<br />
Lead Designer: Jaguar Lee<br />
VFX Artist: Yann Mallard<br />
Animator: Sue Campbell<br />
Rigging: Kevin Culhane<br />
Modeler: Diego Melgar<br />
Look Dev: Damien Bataille<br />
Flame Lead NY: Fabien Coupez<br />
Flame Lead LA: Philip Ineno<br />
Flame Compositor: Steve Miller<br />
Flame Compositor: Alex Kolasinksi<br />
Roto/Paint: Marianne Magne<br />
Producer: Chad Carbone<br />
Producer: Michael Shores<br />
Coordinator: Kyle Leonard</p>
<p>
Music:<br />
Licensed Master: &quot;Out The Speakers feat. Rich Kidz&quot; by A-Trak, Milo &amp; Otis</p>
Advertising & BrandingFood & BeverageAd of The DayMountain DewSuper BowlCreativeKatie RichardsThu, 29 Jan 2015 19:35:50 +0000162631 at http://www.adweek.comThe Super Bowl Is Turning Into Digital Advertising's Biggest Dayhttp://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/super-bowl-turning-digital-advertisings-biggest-day-162524
Michelle Castillo<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/tt-superads-fake-out-ads-superbowl-01-2015.jpg"> <p>
As Super Bowl audiences demand more second-screen content and as online ad opportunities expand, brands are aggressively growing their presence beyond merely multimillion-dollar TV spots.</p>
<p>
It&#39;s about so much more than simply posting longer versions of an ad online, with marketers investing heavily in full-blown digital campaigns that run during the Big Game.</p>
<div class="news-article-image" style="margin: 15px 0px 15px 15px; float: right;">
<img src="/files/imagecache/node-detail/tt-superads-kickstart-01-2015.jpg" />
<p class="caption">
A kickin&#39; ￼￼￼￼￼energy drink launch supported by TV and social<span class="meta-credit">&nbsp;</span></p>
</div>
<p>
Mountain Dew, an official Super Bowl sponsor through parent company PepsiCo, will air a spot during this year&#39;s pregame show as part of its <a href="http://www.nbc4i.com/story/27902261/mtn-dew-kickstart-launches-two-new-flavors-with-coconut-water-and-introduces-it-all-starts-with-a-kick-campaign" target="_blank">&quot;It All Starts With a Kick&quot; campaign </a>in support of the launch of energy drinks Kickstart Pineapple Orange Mango and Strawberry Kiwi. The campaign will be extended during and after the game via YouTube, Twitter, Vine and Snapchat.</p>
<p>
&quot;Mountain Dew has always been a digital instigator, and this is an area that we will continue to lean in on,&quot; said Jamal Henderson, Mountain Dew director of brand marketing.</p>
<p>
Dan Greenberg, CEO of the <a href="https://www.sharethrough.com" target="_blank">ad exchange Sharethrough,</a> noted that digital campaigns in the run-up to the Super Bowl can build buzz for a brand, as well as the spot it will air during the telecast. Out of the more than 50 advertisers that ran a Super Bowl-related campaign via Sharethrough last year, 75 percent also bought a TV spot. &quot;It&#39;s beyond promoting the video assets&mdash;it&#39;s about promoting a much larger story,&quot; Greenberg said.</p>
<p>
First-time Super Bowl advertiser <a href="http://Wix.com" target="_blank">Wix.com</a> dedicated 60 staffers to its corresponding digital campaign. As part of its campaign, the Israeli-based website-building startup created fictional businesses for five former NFL stars, paying close attention to subsequent chatter on their Facebook and Twitter feeds. It created &quot;Favre and Carve&quot; T-shirts in response to demand from fans asking about Brett Favre&#39;s new charcuterie shop.</p>
<p>
Wix.com director of strategic marketing communications Eric Mason notes the company got out online early, leading CBS to include the campaign in its special &quot;Super Bowl&#39;s Greatest Commercials&quot; on Jan. 26, even though the TV ad hadn&#39;t yet aired. &quot;The product of the Super Bowl ad has changed for us,&quot; Mason said. &quot;We bought an ad, but that started a Super Bowl campaign.&quot;</p>
<p>
As David Burfeind, chief knowledge officer of The VIA Agency, points out, augmenting a TV spot with a robust online strategy can also extend the momentum of a Super Bowl spot after the fact. Reacting in real time, as Oreo famously did with a tweet during the blackout of Super Bowl XLVII, has proved to be a hot marketing tactic. With that in mind, sources say Snickers is planning a real-time campaign on <a href="http://www.sbnation.com" target="_blank">SB Nation</a> during the Super Bowl featuring &quot;satisfying moments&quot; from the Big Game, complementing the brand&#39;s Super Bowl spot and creating a second-screen experience for fans hungry for more content. &quot;As advertisers look at these moments, social has become bigger for them,&quot; said Vox Media vp of advertising Joe Purzycki. &quot;As a publisher, we&#39;ve had to evolve to help partners tell the story about quality content consumers are interacting with during the big day.&quot;</p>
<p>
One thing seems certain: Gone are the days when an advertiser could rely on the lift from a mere TV spot. Burfeind cited Radio Shack&#39;s &#39;80s-themed commercial in last year&#39;s Super Bowl&mdash;and recent reports of the chain&#39;s imminent demise. &quot;Winning a popularity contest doesn&#39;t mean operational growth,&quot; he warned. &quot;Your success as a Super Bowl advertiser hinges on other things that go beyond the success of your spot.&quot;</p>
Advertising & Branding2015 Super Bowldigital publlishersMagazine ContentMountain DewPepsicoMichelle CastilloTwitterVIA AgencyVineYoutubeTue, 27 Jan 2015 01:00:02 +0000162524 at http://www.adweek.comMillerCoors Is Testing Branded Content With 26 Different Tech Companieshttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/millercoors-testing-branded-content-26-different-tech-companies-160471
Lauren Johnson<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/complex-kanye-panel-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
MillerCoors is betting big on branded content, revealing during an Advertising Week panel today that the company is currently testing initiatives with 26 different tech companies.</p>
<p>
Like most beer brands, MillerCoors&rsquo; marketing up until now has primarily homed in on broader brand-building. But with the explosion of digital over the past few years, the brewer is now using mobile, video and media partnerships to make a larger impact at the point-of-sale.</p>
<p>
&quot;Twenty-six different tests,&quot;&nbsp;said Stevie Benjamin, MillerCoors&rsquo; senior director of digital and media. &quot;We don&rsquo;t sell products to consumers&mdash;we&rsquo;re not distributors&mdash;we have retailers, so we&rsquo;ve in the past focused a lot of our marketing on higher-funnel. We&rsquo;re really doing a lot of testing lower-funnel.&quot;</p>
<p>
One of the recent trial programs used<a href="http://www.adweek.com/topic/beacon" target="_blank"> beacons</a>&mdash;small smartphone-triggered devices set up in physical locations to ping nearby consumers with messages. Per Benjamin, MillerCoors partnered with Hooters, the Chicago White Sox and a media company she didn&#39;t name. Benjamin declined to talk about results after the panel, but did say that the test started this summer.</p>
<p>
While not all of the content is created for individual platforms, she explained, each test is being customized for a specific platform or experience.</p>
<p>
Benjamin said that MillerCoors is meeting&mdash;along with its agency, Initiative&mdash;next week with potential partners to build out next year&rsquo;s content programs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
When it comes to branded content that is working right now, Benjamin cited a program dubbed the Coors Light Axis program she&#39;s running&nbsp;<a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2014/06/coors-light-axis-goes-behind-the-music-with-big-sean-and-currensy" target="_blank">with Complex Media</a>, which follows two hip-hop artists by showing exclusive, behind-the-scenes interviews and content.</p>
<p>
While Benjamin stressed that she views content and advertising as two separate concepts, Jamal Henderson, Mountain Dew&rsquo;s senior brand manager, said that his brand veers toward creating content. &quot;That&rsquo;s the lean-forward creative that people react to, and ultimately, it&rsquo;s just storytelling,&quot; he said.</p>
<p>
Henderson also pointed to Mountain Dew&rsquo;s recent work with augmented reality and Oculus Rift to indicate where branded content is headed. &quot;I think it&rsquo;s going to take the creative up to another level, [and] I think it&rsquo;s going to take what&rsquo;s expected from a brand to a new level,&quot; he said.</p>
<p>
Meanwhile at a separate panel today, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/mobile-spiked-brand-awareness-23-heinekens-new-beer-160454" target="_blank">Heineken talked </a>about its mobile efforts to drive awareness of a new product launched in a particular U.S. region earlier this year.</p>
<p>
&quot;Within three months, we went from zero awareness in that part of the U.S. to 23 percent awareness,&quot; said Ron Amram, the Dutch beer company&#39;s senior media director.</p>
TechnologyAdvertising WeekAhmad IslamBranded ContentCommon GroundComplex MediaLauren JohnsonMoksha FitzgibbonsMountain DewOculus RiftPaul BerryRebelMouseSocialStevie BenjaminTue, 30 Sep 2014 02:19:29 +0000160471 at http://www.adweek.comMountain Dew Gets 3,500 Phone Calls From Click-to-Call Tweethttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/mountain-dew-gets-3500-phone-calls-click-call-tweet-159188
Lauren Johnson<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/dew-number-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
Mountain Dew may not be one of the first names associated with direct response marketing, but that&#39;s not stopping the Pepsi-owned brand in testing a Twitter click-to-call feature that&#39;s akin to the tactics employed by practitioners attempting to reel in sales leads.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
The soda wrapped up a promotion yesterday to launch what is claimed to be <a href="http:// http://www.foodbeast.com/2014/03/17/bottled-mtn-dew-baja-blast-coming-to-stores-vending-machines-may-2014/" target="_blank">its biggest limited-time offer</a> for its tropical-flavored Baja Blast drink. Over the past three years, Mountain Dew says that it has received 30,000 tweets from fans asking about when the product will be available again.</p>
<p>
<img src="/files/mountain-dew-01-2014.jpg" style="float: right; margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;margin-left: 15px;" /></p>
<p>
On Thursday, Mountain Dew posted a tweet featuring spokesman and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcWnfduAS_E" target="_blank">professional skater Paul Rodriguez</a>. The tweet included a click-to-call button when viewed from a mobile device, and clicking on it automatically called a phone number with a voice recording from Rodriguez. To enter to win one of 10 cases of Mountain Dew Baja Blast, users had to leave a voice message. Mountain Dew then called the winners back.</p>
<p>
Mountain Dew&rsquo;s tweet generated close to 600 retweets and more than 1,300 favorites in addition to the 3,500 phone calls. Promoted Tweets also amplified the post on Monday. Seventy-eight percent&mdash;or 1,014&mdash;of the messages lasted longer than 30 seconds.</p>
<p>
The effort builds on Twitter initiatives around Baja Blast from earlier this year. In April, Mountain Dew picked 500 users who had previously tweeted that they wanted Baja Blast to come back with a message that the drink would be available this summer. Eighty-three percent&mdash;or about 415&mdash;of those users engaged with the tweet that was sent to them. Additionally, <a href="https://twitter.com/mtn_dew/status/459014100463263744/photo/1" target="_blank">a tweet </a>with a picture of the drink generated more than 4,000 retweets and 3,300 favorites.</p>
<p>
Mountain Dew declined to discuss the total media spend on the promo, but the effort also includes a branded mobile app and a 15-second TV spot this summer. The brand is running mobile app install ads and is pushing out the video content through <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/twitter-video-ads-now-play-one-click-157483 " target="_blank">Twitter&rsquo;s native video player</a> to support the campaign.</p>
<p>
Twitter began <a href="http://blog.biakelsey.com/index.php/2014/03/20/tweeting-a-click-to-call-button/" target="_blank">testing click-to-call earlier this year</a> to beef up its advertising appeal towards direct response-heavy brands looking to drive sales leads from social. The company appears to now be ramping up these efforts with Twitter Cards that drive app downloads and collect email addresses.</p>
TechnologyBaja BlastClick-to-callMountain DewPaul RodriguezTwitterLauren JohnsonTwitter CardsTue, 29 Jul 2014 19:27:16 +0000159188 at http://www.adweek.com8 Brands Collectively Rejoice To Twitter's Gif Givinghttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/see-how-brands-collectively-rejoice-twitters-gif-giving-158430
Garett Sloane<p>
Brands have gone Gif crazy now that Twitter enabled the playful animation feature.</p>
<p>
The new media format is the latest rage on the social messaging platform with everyone from Arby&#39;s to Forever 21 posting their best bursts of creativity. (Arby&#39;s thought it would comment on two phenomenon at once with a World Cup-inspired Gif of a curly fry&nbsp;scoring a goal.)</p>
<p>
Twitter, for its part, is pushing ahead with&nbsp;a <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/twitters-redesign-speaks-brands-and-users-emojis-vine-messenger-video-ads-156876" target="_blank">&quot;media forward&quot;</a> strategy that has made the platform more visual in recent months. <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/tide-s-halloween-vines-are-now-everywhere-153407" target="_blank">Six-second Vine videos</a>&mdash;from Twitter&#39;s sister app&mdash;are commonly used by marketers, and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/twitter-video-ads-now-play-one-click-157483" target="_blank">videos in general are more prominent and easier to play.</a></p>
<p>
Twitter also has&nbsp;tried to broader&nbsp;its&nbsp;appeal in a bid to&nbsp;juice its user numbers, which at 257 million a month remains well below Facebook&#39;s 1.28 billion. Gifs are one way to excite the Internet and advertsiers. Have a look:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
Is there something on our cheek? <a href="http://t.co/MqyQYAFckr">http://t.co/MqyQYAFckr</a></p>
&mdash; Wendy&#39;s (@Wendys) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wendys/statuses/479338730394624000">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
Shop our new arrivals in a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GIF&amp;src=hash">#GIF</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SummerForever&amp;src=hash">#SummerForever</a> <a href="http://t.co/O4Vfcxn1v1">http://t.co/O4Vfcxn1v1</a> <a href="http://t.co/ROKXWvuCji">http://t.co/ROKXWvuCji</a></p>
&mdash; Forever 21 (@Forever21) <a href="https://twitter.com/Forever21/statuses/479383569614114816">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
An animated <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GIF&amp;src=hash">#GIF</a> for Jayhawks? You got it. <a href="http://t.co/U0zrNOpe1A">http://t.co/U0zrNOpe1A</a></p>
&mdash; University of Kansas (@KUnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUnews/statuses/479379697403326464">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
FTW! GIFs are now on Twitter! Tweet us the greatest GIF of ALL TIME to help us crown the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23KingOfGIFs&amp;src=hash">#KingOfGIFs</a>! <a href="http://t.co/5J7x21JVwg">http://t.co/5J7x21JVwg</a></p>
&mdash; Mountain Dew&reg; (@mtn_dew) <a href="https://twitter.com/mtn_dew/statuses/479358384106663936">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BrilliantMachines&amp;src=hash">#BrilliantMachines</a>: Now in <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GIF&amp;src=hash">#GIF</a> form. <a href="http://t.co/ma58anRPP6">http://t.co/ma58anRPP6</a></p>
&mdash; General Electric (@generalelectric) <a href="https://twitter.com/generalelectric/statuses/479325216318160896">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
You just HAVE to send one more GIF on Twitter before your phone dies? Switch to Ultra Power Saving Mode. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GALAXYS5&amp;src=hash">#GALAXYS5</a> <a href="http://t.co/nvGXD5IE22">http://t.co/nvGXD5IE22</a></p>
&mdash; Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamsungMobile/statuses/479324335585632258">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
If anyone needs us, we&#39;ll be admiring all the GIFs in our timeline. This is truly the GIF that keeps on giving. <a href="http://t.co/xnCpgIs6QD">http://t.co/xnCpgIs6QD</a></p>
&mdash; E! Online (@eonline) <a href="https://twitter.com/eonline/statuses/479315596371189760">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
Just when you thought <a href="https://twitter.com/twitter">@Twitter</a> couldn&#39;t get any better, now we can post a GIF of Curly Fries playing soccer. <a href="http://t.co/5XMK00sryk">http://t.co/5XMK00sryk</a></p>
&mdash; Arby&#39;s (@Arbys) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arbys/statuses/479389196067807232">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>TechnologyArby'sbrand marketingcontent marketingForever 21General ElectricGarett SloaneMobileMountain DewSamsungSocialSocial Content MarketingTwitterTwitterTwitter VineWendy'sWed, 18 Jun 2014 23:22:54 +0000158430 at http://www.adweek.comGamers Are Not Who You Think They Are, Study Findshttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/gamers-are-not-who-you-think-they-are-study-finds-158201
Michelle Castillo<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/twitch.jpeg"> <p>
A new <a href="http://www.lifecourse.com/assets/files/The%20New%20Face%20of%20Gamers_June_2014.pdf" target="_blank">study</a> commissioned by gaming-themed online video platform Twitch finds that today&#39;s gamers do not live in their parents&#39; basements, and are, for all intents and purposes, just average young people who aren&#39;t tethered to their consoles.</p>
<p>
Sixty-three percent of Americans have played a video game in the last 60 days. When parsing out the information on millennials, that number jumps to 73 percent of that demographic.</p>
<p>
&quot;Gamers overall have a different profile than 10 years ago,&quot; said Jonathan Simpson-Bint, Twitch&#39;s chief revenue officer. &quot;The sort of key takeaway before was that gamers have been a pariah group. That simply isn&#39;t the case now because they basically follow the profile of millennials.&quot;</p>
<p>
This leaves interesting opportunities for advertisers who want to target the average millennial, Simpson-Bint explained. Twitch has worked with brands like Mountain Dew, and movie studios like <a href="http://www.adweek.com/videowatch/hulu-nabs-new-original-series-lionsgate-152059" target="_blank">Lionsgate</a> have worked with it to promote its movies. For example, Twitch held a Starcraft 2 tournament called <a href="http://blog.twitch.tv/2014/02/enders-game-on-blu-ray-tournament/" target="_blank">the Enders Cup</a> as a form of branded content for the movie Ender&#39;s Game. The deals have helped the company double its nonendemic revenue compared to this time last year, and it is on track to have 300 percent to 400 percent growth in the category by the end of 2014, per Simpson-Bint.</p>
<p>
And, it&#39;s allegedly piqued the interest of YouTube, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/videowatch/report-youtube-acquire-twitch-1-billion-157825" target="_blank">which reportedly may be bidding to buy it for $1 billion.</a></p>
<p>
&quot;Gamers are social, video is their language, and Twitch is ultimately their platform,&quot; Simpson-Bint proclaimed.</p>
<p>
It&#39;s not only that the majority of people are playing games, but that those who dabble behind the joystick are pretty social. Today&#39;s gamers are more likely to be living with someone else, be it their families, roommates or a significant other than nongamers. They also tend to say their friends are the most important thing in their life (57 percent versus 35 percent of nongamers). And, about three out of four gamers make offline time a communal activity with their friends.</p>
<p>
The study didn&#39;t define what exactly constituted a video game, meaning that even casual mobile gamers were labeling themselves with the gamer tag. <a href="http://www.lifecourse.com/" target="_blank">LifeCourse Associates</a> led the research.</p>
<p>
&quot;Not that long ago, I would present to the room of an agency and ask how many people were gamers,&quot; Simpson-Bint recalled. &quot;A couple of people&mdash;almost always guys&mdash;would raise their hand and confess they play games.&quot;</p>
<p>
&quot;I don&#39;t ask that question anymore because literally everyone puts their hands up,&quot; he added.</p>
Technologycasual gamingEnder's GameGamingGamingMobile gamesMichelle CastilloStarCraftTwitchFri, 06 Jun 2014 21:36:48 +0000158201 at http://www.adweek.comThis Rad Mountain Dew Bottle Has a Built-In Hex Nut Wrench, So You Can Fix Your Skateboardhttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/rad-mountain-dew-bottle-has-built-hex-nut-wrench-so-you-can-fix-your-skateboard-157016
Alfred Maskeroni<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/mountain-dew-tool-2014.jpg"> <p>
Fresh from the gnarly folks at Mountain Dew comes&nbsp;&quot;the first soda that is also a tool.&quot;</p>
<p>
A nifty new Dew bottle designed by Sancho BBDO Colombia is fitted with a hex nut wrench in the cap, so you can fix your board after you&#39;ve face-planted <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2FSHwqkumE" target="_blank">trying to land a sick trick that ended up all sketchy</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2FSHwqkumE" target="_blank">.</a> It&#39;s perfect for skaters who could use a little extra hand during their next <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgH70_qpwZs" target="_blank">search for Animal Chin.</a></p>
<p>
I guess it is cool and all, but I&#39;m pretty sure you can only tighten screws; if you tried to loosen them, wouldn&#39;t the cap itself just unscrew? It also doesn&#39;t seem like you&#39;d get much torque this way. But I nitpick. It would be killer if the bottle came with some cash stuffed inside it for emergency room bills. Or Obamacare. Dude, put Obamacare in the bottle.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
But whatever, this poser&#39;s hella old&mdash;gotta bail. <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/demo-real-life-hoverboard-incredible-watch-even-if-its-fake-156093" target="_blank">Wake me up when the hoverboard is real.</a></p>
<p>
Check it, brah.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/91569712" width="652" height="367" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> </p>
Advertising & BrandingFood & BeverageBbdoColombiaMountain DewSancho BBDOAlfred MaskeroniAgencyMon, 14 Apr 2014 14:48:13 +0000157016 at http://www.adweek.comKohl Norville Becomes Motive's First Content Directorhttp://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/kohl-norville-becomes-motives-first-content-director-156746
Kristina Monllos<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/kohl-norville-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
Kohl Norville believes the best branded content is participatory&mdash;whether it&#39;s a concert or surprise event&mdash;and in his new role as content director for Motive he aims to find new ways for people to enjoy brands.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
&quot;I like branded content when it&#39;s something that&#39;s true to the brand,&quot; Norville told Adweek. &quot;Something that&#39;s endemic, that people will want to seek out. ... It&#39;s no longer an interruption but it&#39;s what people are gravitating towards. That&#39;s what&#39;s so exciting about Motive&mdash;we want to make work along those lines.&quot;</p>
<p>
Norville, who reports to agency founder and CEO Matt Statman, will work with clients to conceive and produce branded content. The position is new.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Motive, a unit of Project: WorldWide, is a creative studio that&#39;s based in Denver, with a new office in New York that Norville will help expand. Clients include Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Native Eyewear. Recently, the agency created the Pepsi Superbowl spot, &quot;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meQKpdVgEjo" target="_blank">Get Hyped for the Halftime.</a>&quot;</p>
<p>
Previously, Norville freelanced for shops such as Pereira &amp; O&#39;Dell, Grey, SS+K and Big Fuel, working on brands like Subway, ESPN and Match.com. Before his four-year freelancing stint, he was a creative director at Habana Avenue.</p>
<p>
Reflecting on his decision to join Motive, Norville said he was drawn by the opportunity to be more hands-on in bringing content ideas to life.</p>
<p>
&quot;If you look at the range of work that Motive is creating, it&#39;s truly platform agnostic, which I love,&quot; he added. &quot;It&#39;s a shop where ideas are king and these [are] ideas that lead to audience immersion.&quot; &nbsp;</p>
Advertising & BrandingBig Fuelcontent directorGreyKohl NorvilleMotiveKristina MonllosNative EyewearPepsiPereira & O'dellProject: WorldWideSS+KThu, 03 Apr 2014 15:23:30 +0000156746 at http://www.adweek.comDiet Dew Helps You Hunt Ducks with Dale Jr. and Rail-Grind a Horsehttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/diet-dew-helps-you-hunt-ducks-dale-jr-and-rail-grind-horse-155493
David Kiefaber<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/diet-dew-dalecall-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
One of my favorite ads from Super Bowl night actually ran before and after the game, when Diet Mountain Dew bought some slightly discounted time for its new spot, &quot;Dale Call.&quot; We see a duck hunter pull out his trusty turbo-powered call,&nbsp;which sounds like a Nascar engine and summons Dale Earnhardt Jr., regardless of location or time of day.</p>
<p>
I can&#39;t think of too many scenarios where that would be useful, which might be why it&#39;s a bat signal solely reserved for duck hunters. As someone who took great joy as a child in scaring ducks into flight, I feel pretty certain these fowl would have scattered and flown away instead of sticking around to get blasted, but who am I to question Dale&#39;s abilities behind the wheel?</p>
<p>
Below, you can check out another of the campaign&#39;s spots, featuring a rail-grinding horse worthy of the X Games.</p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="367" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QNh18bRw_0k?rel=0" width="652"></iframe></p>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="367" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ol7x46IpMTQ?rel=0" width="652"></iframe></p>
Advertising & BrandingCelebrity EndorsementsDale Earnhardt, Jr.Mountain DewNascarWed, 05 Feb 2014 14:33:47 +0000155493 at http://www.adweek.comMountain Dew Is Running Vine-Based TV Ads for the Nascar Race This Weekendhttp://www.adweek.com/news/technology/mountain-dew-running-vine-based-tv-ads-nascar-race-weekend-153173
Christopher Heine<p>
Following in the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/guy-has-second-most-followed-account-vine-152130" target="_blank">footsteps</a> of <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/dunkin-donuts-launching-first-tv-ad-made-entirely-vine-152267" target="_blank">Dunkin&#39; Donuts</a>, Virgin Mobile and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/trident-gum-airs-its-own-tv-commercial-made-single-vine-152322" target="_blank">Trident</a>, Mountain Dew is testing a couple Vine-based TV spots. As in Dunkin&#39;s effort, the soda is utilizing television&#39;s emerging five-second billboards&mdash;or &quot;snackable&quot; animated ads&mdash;to playfully employ the six-second social video platform, which is owned by Twitter.</p>
<p>
The first brief spot appeared over the weekend on NBC Sports, while the second is scheduled to run on Sunday via ESPN. The commercial this weekend will highlight Mountain Dew&#39;s Dale Earnhardt Jr. sponsorship during the broadcast of NASCAR&#39;s Talladega Superspeedway race in Alabama.</p>
<p>
&quot;The Vine medium [contextually] translates to the animated billboards on TV so well,&quot; Todd Kaplan, director, brand marketing for Mountain Dew, told Adweek. &quot;Right now, we are really excited about the platform and how Vine speaks for <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/millennial-male-not-who-you-think-he-152929" target="_blank">millennial male consumers</a>. We are going to continue to experiment in this space with Dew on Vine and see where it goes.&quot;</p>
<p>
Mountain Dew has shown a predilection for marketing adventurism this year, most notably with the controversial &quot;Goat&quot; online spot it <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/mountain-dew-pulls-most-racist-commercial-history-149061" target="_blank">pulled</a>&nbsp;due to outrage in May. The PepsiCo-owned brand probably expects more buzz and fewer boos for its latest effort.</p>
<p>
Check out its new Vine spots, created by <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/marketing-shop-fresh-vine-100326" target="_blank">VaynerMedia</a>.</p>
<p>
<br />
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TechnologyDale Earnhardt, Jr.Dunkin' DonutsEspnMillennial malesMillennialsChristopher HeineNascarNBC SportsPepsicoSocialTalladegaTodd KaplanTridentTV spotsTwitter VineVaynerMediaVineVirgin MobileWed, 16 Oct 2013 18:18:54 +0000153173 at http://www.adweek.comAre Celebrity Social Endorsements Worth the Big Bucks or the Gamble?http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/are-celebrity-social-endorsements-worth-big-bucks-or-gamble-152781
Gabriel Beltrone<p>
<img alt="" src="/files/dws-01-2013.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 1297px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: right;" />In the brave new world of social media, marketers are doubling down on celebrity endorsements, banking on stars&rsquo; earned media mojo to help their campaigns catch fire.</p>
<p>
Take HTC&rsquo;s splashy, <a href="/node/151861">$1 billion campaign starring Robert Downey Jr.</a> or Pepsi&rsquo;s $50 million <a href="/node/145855">endorsement agreement with Beyonc&eacute;.</a> &ldquo;Pretty much anything she does is covered both in traditional and social media,&rdquo; said William Gelner, chief creative officer of 180LA, which this spring created a popular Pepsi spot starring the singer.</p>
<p>
Lately, brands like Audi, Honda and Diet Coke have enlisted A-listers like Claire Danes, Nick Cannon and <a href="/node/152730">Taylor Swift</a>, fueling their ads with social star power.</p>
<p>
Often such deals give advertisers a direct line to celebrities&rsquo; fan followings via their personal Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. The true asset, however, is a star&rsquo;s relevance, buying a marketer the kind of buzzy exposure that only a Hollywood headliner can bring.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;A lot of what social allows a brand to do is to piggyback off earned media, utilizing the fans to do the work for you,&rdquo; said Anna Holland, executive group director at WPP&rsquo;s 171 Worldwide, partner on HTC&rsquo;s push with Downey. &ldquo;He just came off Iron Man 3 and that alone brings awareness to [HTC].&rdquo;</p>
<p>
The increased visibility of social also amplifies the potential risk of such deals. For one, it raises the bar for what passes as a convincing celeb-marketer marriage, said Chris Raih, managing director of Los Angeles agency Zambezi, <a href="/node/143395">which this summer launched a Popchips ad starring Katy Perry</a> (an investor and creative partner in the company).</p>
<p>
Or a brand may find itself entangled in a fiasco on the scale of the <a href="/node/149061">Mountain Dew-Tyler, the Creator dustup</a>, the Rick Ross lyrics controversy or the Paula Deen meltdown. Still, &ldquo;it doesn&rsquo;t happen that often,&rdquo; said C. Samuel Craig, professor of marketing at NYU&rsquo;s Stern school, plus brands can usually distance themselves quickly.</p>
<p>
YouTube does have its benefits. Brands can get more bang for their buck with longer ads and richer storylines. Fans can watch spots starring their favorite stars on demand&mdash;unlike TV where a diverse cross section of viewers watches a celebrity some might not care for, rendering a celebrity-fronted spot less effective.</p>
<p>
&ldquo;Celebrities by their very nature tend to be quite polarizing,&rdquo; said Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix, which measures ad impact. &ldquo;TV is a very blunt targeting instrument.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
Putting a star in an ad isn&rsquo;t always a silver bullet. &ldquo;It really only improves your odds with those people who are fans of the celebrity,&rdquo; said Bruce Clark, marketing professor at Northeastern University&rsquo;s D&rsquo;Amore-McKim school.</p>
Advertising & Branding180laAudiBeyonce KnowlesDiet CokeHondaGabriel BeltroneMountain DewPepsiRick RossRobert Downey Jr.Taylor SwiftTyler, The CreatorTue, 01 Oct 2013 01:49:38 +0000152781 at http://www.adweek.comDevin Graham Hooks Up With Mountain Dew for New Stunt: A Death-Defying Human Catapulthttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/devin-graham-hooks-mountain-dew-new-stunt-death-defying-human-catapult-152035
Tim Nudd<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/human-catapult-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Devin Graham has always seemed right up Mountain Dew&#39;s alley. The director, aka Devin Supertramp, who specializes in building giant outdoor contraptions that fling attractive young people into the air, was even apparently the inspiration for a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJKwLg8PCkI" target="_blank">2011 Mountain Dew spot</a>&mdash;its footage of BMX bikers launching themselves into a lake sure looked a lot like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3GribQCg6c" target="_blank">this 2010 Graham production.</a> Now, Mountain Dew has officially teamed up with Graham for a new video and an upcoming tour. The video, below, presents lots of woozy footage of people flying back and forth on a giant catapult&mdash;with plenty of Mountain Dew signage and products around. (One guy empties a bottle of the stuff on his face mid-&#39;pult, adding to his own personal horror.) Attractive young people who missed out on this stunt, worry not. Dew and Devin are going on a road trip! As Graham <a href="http://devinsupertramp.com/mt.-dew-tour.html" target="_blank">writes on his site:</a> &quot;On September 1st, we&#39;re jumping into an RV full of Mountain Dew and all the equipment we need to pull off some seriously amazing stunts. And the best part is, YOU will be planning the locations and the stunts themselves right along with us!&quot; Graham has worked with brands before&mdash;on stunts like this <a href="/node/134567">neck-breakingly awesome lake-jumping waterslide,</a> co-branded by Vooray.</p>
<p>
<object height="367" width="652"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eYthI8sVTME?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="367" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eYthI8sVTME?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="652"></embed></object></p>
<p>
Check out the eight-minute behind-the-scenes video below, in which it takes all of 25 seconds for someone to suggest trying &quot;two girls at the same time.&quot;</p>
<!--break-->
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Advertising & BrandingFood & BeverageDevin GrahamMountain DewCreativeMon, 26 Aug 2013 14:58:42 +0000152035 at http://www.adweek.comMountain Dew's Exquisite 'Living Portraits' Show Brand's Endorsers in All Their Mythical Gloryhttp://www.adweek.com/adfreak/mountain-dews-exquisite-living-portraits-show-brands-endorsers-all-their-mythical-glory-151937
David Gianatasio<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/blogs/mountain-dew-portraits-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Mountain Dew&#39;s &quot;Living Portraits&quot; series is one of the most innovative and intricate short-form campaigns of the year. Who&#39;d&#39;ve thunk it, especially after the brand&#39;s <a href="/node/149079">high-profile ad missteps</a> a few months ago? Created by BBDO and Psyop, each 30-second &quot;Living Portrait&quot; spotlights a different Dew endorser&mdash;Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., skateboarder Paul Rodriguez and snowboarder Danny Davis. Fun, freaky symbolism is used to capture the essence of each and, for lack of a better term, mythologize their lives. The spots all take a similar approach, with the endorsers seated on stylized thrones and the shot slowly pulling back to reveal bedazzling details.</p>
<p>
Davis sits on ornately sculptured ice, slurping Dew and strumming a guitar. The camera pulls back to reveal a wintry jam session with members of his crew, the ice sculptor, birds of prey and wolves in attendance. A yeti plays drums. Snowboarders soar in a rainbow sky. A cute, briefcase-sized eyeball lounges by the fire, diggin&#39; Danny&#39;s vibes.</p>
<p>
<object height="367" width="652"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tot2NOtYbB0?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="367" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tot2NOtYbB0?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="652"></embed></object></p>
<p>
Components move at different speeds, mixing 3-D layering and 2-D animation with live action and matte effects. Yet there&#39;s no discord, and the elements combine to create harmonious representations of the endorsers&#39; lives and achievements.</p>
<p>
Fans can visit Mountain Dew&#39;s website to <a href="http://mountaindew.com/portraits/#/danny" target="_blank">unlock the secrets behind each portrait&#39;s imagery.</a> The outsized eyeball in Davis&#39;s spot refers to FrendsVision, where the snowboarder and his crew share information about the Frends brand and disseminate clips of themselves &quot;performing skits, snowboarding, playing music and entertaining the public the best way they know how.&quot; So, basically, the eye opens onto another ad. I didn&#39;t see that coming.</p>
<p>
And we learn that the crew is jamming around a &quot;peace fire,&quot; because &quot;Danny lives his life preaching peace.&quot; That&#39;s a bit precious for me&mdash;sounds like an overblown piece of you know what&mdash;and I wonder if perhaps the symbols should have been left unexplained, adding to the mystery, allowing fans to debate their deeper meaning.</p>
<p>
The yeti&#39;s presence isn&#39;t explained at all! Smelling a Pulitzer, I sent an email, and a rep for Mountain Dew parent PepsiCo explained: &quot;The Yeti was included as it&#39;s part of mountain folklore.&quot; Rock on, noble yeti! That furry dude really keeps the beat.</p>
<p>
See the other spots below.</p>
<!--break-->
<p>
<object height="367" width="652"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CcWnfduAS_E?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="367" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CcWnfduAS_E?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="652"></embed></object></p>
<p>
<object height="367" width="652"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r5dHF3qcbPE?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="367" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r5dHF3qcbPE?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="652"></embed></object></p>
<p>
<object height="367" width="652"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mE10oww_ctI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="367" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mE10oww_ctI?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="652"></embed></object></p>
Advertising & BrandingFood & BeverageBbdoMountain DewPsyopSodaDavid GianatasioAgencyMon, 19 Aug 2013 18:06:28 +0000151937 at http://www.adweek.comThe Top Ads of Summer 2013 [Video]http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/top-summer-ads-2013-video-151485
<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/screen_shot_2013-07-29_at_2.04.13_pm.png"> <p>
Like saplings turning to face the sun for sustenance, so at this time of year do marketers and advertisers&mdash;especially when there are no big sporting events such as 2012&#39;s Olympics to pad out the creative briefs. But surely you can&#39;t just show Beyonc&eacute;, Jennifer Lopez, armies of attractive models and a handful of goats having fun in the sun? Or can you? Tim Nudd rounds up this year&#39;s seasonal shills. &nbsp;</p>
Advertising & BrandingBeyonceCampaign TrailsFacebookGoatsH&MJennifer LopezKohl'sMountain DewSummer AdvertisingMon, 29 Jul 2013 18:48:56 +0000151485 at http://www.adweek.comAdult Swim Greenlights Mike Tyson Show, Renews 17 Including Controversial Loiter Squadhttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/adult-swim-greenlights-mike-tyson-show-renews-17-including-controversial-loiter-squa
Sam Thielman<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/unknown_43.jpeg"> <p>
UPDATED: Turner&#39;s Adult Swim has greenlit five new series, including a show from retired heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson called Mike Tyson&#39;s Mysteries, from Warner Bros. Animation (Warner Bros. owns Turner). Community creator Dan Harmon also got a pick up for new series Rick and Morty, a show about a scientific genius and his nephew, who is not a genius.</p>
<p>
Renewals, interestingly, included Odd Future&#39;s sketch comedy series Loiter Squad, which produced a series of Mountain Dew commercials&mdash;one that&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/mountain-dew-makes-best-ad-ever-violent-talking-goat-148055" target="_blank">a lot of people liked</a> and one that<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/mountain-dew-pulls-most-racist-commercial-history-149061" target="_blank">&nbsp;a lot of people did not like</a>&nbsp;(Adult Swim tells Adweek it had nothing to do with the production of the shorts). As previously announced, the network will syndicate Fox&#39;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/h-jon-benjamin-preps-bob-s-burgers-tour-149147" target="_blank">Bob&#39;s Burgers</a>, continuing its relationship with the animation-heavy broadcaster.</p>
<p>
Other deals are bringing back old-school Adult Swim talent including Space Ghost creator Matt Harrigan, whose new untitled show will follow the crew and passengers of a cruise ship into certain danger; and ad industry crossovers Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (of Tim &amp; Eric Awesome Show Great Job!), whose new series will feature Zach Galifianakis. The show is called Tim &amp; Eric&#39;s Bedtime Stories: Zach&#39;s Haunted House. The three <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/male-bonding-and-bouffants-absolut-16143" target="_blank">have worked together before</a>.</p>
<p>
The network&#39;s new slate includes a pilot from the brains behind Robot Chicken and the music scene&#39;s nerdy girl group Team Unicorn; as well as two new pilots from Aaron McGruder, creator of The Boondocks. JJ Villard, of DreamWorks&#39; Monsters vs. Aliens, has a new show called King Star King that has been ordered to series; and the network has announced a second Robot Chicken DC Comics special.</p>
<p>
It helps to have some corporate synergy with the latter. At one point the irreverent series had a deal in the works with Lucasfilm to produce a lengthy goof on Star Wars, too, but when Disney bought the movie studio, it scuttled the project in addition to several other deals with competitors.</p>
Television2013-14 UpfrontAdult SwimCableDan HarmonDC ComicSam ThielmanLoiter SquadMountain DewOdd FutureTim HeideckerTime WarnerTurnerTyler, The CreatorZach GalifianakisFri, 10 May 2013 14:07:11 +0000149388 at http://www.adweek.com